In order for import bands/artists to have any kind of success here in the states, they have to have either a great song to debut as a single; a complete album to debut that everyone talks about that starts out in the underground and then bumps up to mainstream status; or that artist has to have both of those things going on. Unfortunately The Maccabees don’t have either of those things going down on their debut full that’s coming out on Geffen records- “Colour It In.” The Maccabees have a Arctic Monkeys/Bloc Party/Franz Ferdinand mix going on with them and that alone is a recipe for success in the U.K., but they just don’t have that little extra something to push them into world-renown status. “Colour It In” is pretty normal on its first nine tracks. The harmonies on the choruses are okay and the songs are alright, there’s just nothing there that really pushes things over the edge with those first 9 tracks. Things pick up at the end of the album, especially with “Mary”, that’s the closest that the band gets to that big song on the album and then “Lego” and “Toothpaste Kisses” and are just a step below “Mary.”There’s a ton of potential with The Maccabees, but I don’t think that this album is going to equal strong success in the U.S. Maybe a single will hang out for awhile and “Colour It In” will do alright. More than likely though, “Colour It In” does pretty average allows these guys to do another import and the import does well. This is an album that everyone comes back to, not an album everyone flocks to. The Maccabees have the potential for gradual success in the industry, something that beats a flash in the pan any day. If you’re into the British stuff, check this out, otherwise wait until the next album for great things from The Maccabees.